12 What do you mean a toy?

A week later we where at the gates in line for entry, due to the location Manite lacked a lot of goods, so imports were very important for its survival. Surrounded by large fleets of grain and vegetables carriages I was a little stunned.

After waiting for four hours it was our turn, the guard looked bored and tired, he was leaning on his spear. "State your name and the purpose of your visit." he asked not even looking up.

I took out the letter and handed it to him before speaking. "Jacob and we are here to apply for residency."

The man simply checked something on the later before telling us to move along. I placed the later back in my pocket before moving forward.

The city Manite was very different from Renfield, instead of wooden houses, the houses here had a blend of wooden beams and rocky walls. It was quite surprising considering the love people had for wooden houses, but I guess it was must considering the amount of mining here, Rocks must be more abundant than the wood.

We asked around for directions, looking for the counts residence, moving deeper into the city we found ourselves in a much less populated area, the houses were less but far larger than the first we had seen. Soon we could see a large white estate in the distance, I am absolutely sure that's were we are going.

Sure enough, with two guards at the gate who confirmed whose residence this is and check the letter we were told to move on, I saw the guard tap something on his chest.

The distance for the gates to the estates doors was quite far, both sides were covered with beautiful green grass and decorated flowers.

Reaching the door we are greeted by woman, most likely a maid who guides us into a waiting room.

Soon after the maid returned before escorting me alone into another room deeper within the granite halls. Entering a room filled with books, a sitting man grabs my attention as he stood up, he walked around his decorated desk before giving me a hand shake.

"Glad you took my offer Jacob, come have a sit." Said as he urged me to take a sit.

Leon was a very Handsome man with blond short hare in a bowl cut with small glasses, he was currently wearing a red dyed wool coat. He looked to be in his late thirty's.

"Thank you for the invitation my lord, we would have had no where to if not for your letter." I said with a polite smile.

"Come now, what kind of lord would I be if let a talent like you go to waste." With a smile he pulled out a piece of paper before writing something on it, "here take this to the black smith in town you should easily get some work there, my assistant Yvonne should get you comfortable in one of the empty houses in town." He said as he handed it over.

"I wish I could chat Jacob but my work has been unbearable after the war, I will check on you when am." He said with a self pitting expression.

"Not a problem sir, and thank you." I said before walking out, the maid was still waiting outside the room.

She looked at me before asking to see the letter, as if she remembered something she guided me out of the estate and back the road to town, not long after, in the middle class area we are shown a house.

Not too big but not to small as well, middle class' house if you will she pull out a key from her apron and unlocks the house. So far it's the largest house I have lived in. She hands me the keys before telling me to follow her, she later shows me a builder far down the road.

"That's the blacksmith right there I suggest you report there tomorrow at the latest." With that she leaves on her carriage back to the estate I presume.

Going back inside, I find my family gawking at the new place, a two stories building all to ourselves. A large living room with a fire place, a dining room connected to the kitchen, and above all of that three bedrooms, guest room included. And shockingly an attic to store things in.

"This is yours?" Sana said while staring at the kids who were jumping up and down on the beds.

I laughed at her word before wrapping my hands around her waist and swinging her around. "No Sana, this is ours!" I said with absolutely joy.

Amethyst noticing us, climbed of the bed and ran to my leg before staring up at me with her big eyes. "Daddy, I wanna swing too." She said jumping up and down with her arms up.

Grabbing her with chuckle I lifted her up before spinning with her, junior soon came over as well, and with both kids in each hand I gave them a good spin before throwing them on one of the beds.

"Daddy more!" both kids screamed with absolute joy.

Looking back at Sana with a 'help me' expression she came over, her beautiful gleeful expression not receding "alright you two, your father is tired, let's go downstairs and I will cook you a delicious supper." Sana said as she grabbed both the kids hands.

I decided to go over at the black smith while I still had nothing to do and see what was going there.

It was already afternoon so the place seemed a little empty. Asking the few smiths around I found the person in charge, a short rough, grey bearded old man making some measurements on a piece of large steel sheet.

"Excuse me?" I said patting the old man on the shoulder slowly he looked back, not long after he went back to his work.

"Let me guess you were sent here by that brat, no?"

Not knowing what his talking about I simply place the letter at the table side.

The old man picks it up with a sigh, and opens it. After a few seconds of reading, he looks me up and before stopping at my waist. " let me see that sword boy." He gestures at me to hand it over.

I long new that Leon had noticed my sword, so without much hesitation I gave my sword over.

Grabbing my wooden sheath, notice the old man grimacing. "what kind shit scarab is this." He said before sighing and moving on.

Pulling out the two and a half centimetres wide sword, he gave it a small shake, but his frown kept growing. "Is this a joke, what kind shit sword is this... This is toy. The balance is off and handle sucks the only thing this thing is good for is looking at." He said as he swung it downwards.

The blade managed to hit the corner of the stone table and cut right through it, the metal sheet included. The old man gawked at the absurdity. "That's... That's impossible, I didn't even feel any resistance." He said while stepping down on the stool he had been standing on, he picked up the piece of metal that had been shaved of before passing it on the edge of the blade once again, and like before, as easy as passing paper on the edge of scissors, he tried both sides but the results were the same.

He looked back at the later before reading it, this time completely. "follow me." He simply Said before walking away.

I was in a closed of part of the blacksmith building and in front of me the short old was staring at, "so, you made this?" He asked with all seriousness.

"Yes." I answered simply.

"Can you... Do it again?"

"Yes." I wanted to say no but my pride got the better of me.

The old man stood up from his sit and came over to my left, "Flex your hand." He said grabbing my left hand.

"What? Why?" I said with a very not amused smirk.

"Just do it." With that said I tensed my left arm muscles. "quite small amounts." The old muttered to himself.

"alright kid, I want to see you here tomorrow morning understood? Good." Before I could even reply the old continued on my behalf. Was pushed out of the blacksmith as I realise they were closing.

"Sigh, whatever."